Questions about Polish and adding them to a flock

[Kaceyx73]

Hi all.

This is actually several questions, so feel free to comment on one or all.

I'm going to pick up some Cochins tomorrow. The guy said he ordered a Rarest of the Rare assortment from McMurray, 25 chicks and at 5 mos is letting all go but 5 to make room for pheasants next spring.
Included is 1 Bronze Polish of the 7 he has left. He wants to make a deal for me to pick up all of them. I like the Polish, but have been mainly working on utility breeds, RIR layers, Marans, and Cochins for broodies. He thinks this is a roo. At a couple of bucks a piece its a great deal as long as the birds are healthy, and I hate to pass up a good deal for all, but there are questions.

1. I've never seen a bronze polish listed, is it most likely a Golden or a Buff Laced?
2. If it is a roo, how will he get along in a mixed flock? Currently have a RIR and a large Copper Blue Marans, not sure if any of the Cochins are roos.
3. If I like him, and he fits in ok, Chicken Math dictates I have to get him at least 1 hen. From a genetics standpoint, are there certain color patterns that would match with a bronze/ buff laced/ golden polish? I'm familiar with Copper Blue/Black and splash combos in Marans.
4. I read that Polish hens are actually good layers of medium white eggs. Does this hold true?
5. Anything else I should know about Polish?

In case anyone, like me, who's wondering why this guy is getting rid of so many birds, he said he kept the ones best suited to free ranging. There were Dominiques and another breed that he liked. Like many of us, his first choice was more based on coolness of the birds than it was on what he actually needed.

Ken

 

[Amyable]

I can only answer #'s 4 and 5. My 3 Gold Laced hens are good layers, their eggs are large, not medium. They range fine with the rest of my flock, no picking at all. One thing to know with Polish, they don't see you coming until you are on top of them. Be prepared for sudden feathery explosions.

 

[Kaceyx73]

Thanks Amyable.

I am wondering how hard its gonna be to find a couple of hens, if he is indeed a roo. Chicken math can be a cruel mistress. Trying to hatch a dozen eggs is probably gonna result in more than I want. I want to do the same with my Copper Blue/Black Marans, but my luck with incubation is a bit whack. I put 41 eggs in an incubator I borrowed from a friend expecting 20 on the high side... its a cheap styrofoam still air type. 2 never developed and for my first time I am at 36 hatched. Don't know if I room for a dozen Marans and a dozen Polish, and a dozen Cubalayas...lol.

 

[susanbird]

Quote:
Hi,

I really like my Polish and my girls all are good layers, but not such great setters. My Buff laced just hatched 8 chicks but one is NOT a buff. I can only guess that one or both were bred at some time with a different colored Polish???

I would guess that the Bronze is a Gold laced. I was just looking at McMurrays and didn't see any Bronze listed. I did a search for the color bronze and a golden color came up. A search for Bronze turkey had more of the Gold laced coloring similar to what my birds have. The coloring on my birds is almost brown.

Before I go into one of my Polish pens I make sure they know that I am coming. They don't see all that well with all the feathers on their heads and will get startled. Once they know you and know you are coming in they just go about their business.

When my Polish were chicks (except I got my Buff Polish as adults) they got along fine with my large and bantam chickens. They are pretty mellow and didn't cause problems. Mine were not aggressive.

Polish are simply fun to look at, I think you might enjoy him/her.

 

[Kaceyx73]

Thanks Susanbird.

Ive always enjoyed pictures of them. I thought it would be cool to have a few ornamental birds just for fun, but focused more on utility instead of pretty. We'll see how this goes.